The Treasures of Peru

Day 1: Welcome to Lima
At the moment you arrive in Lima, the driver will be waiting for you at the airport and take you, on private transport, to your hotel. Overnight at Jose Antoni Lima Hotel in Standard Room

Day 2: Lima The City of Kings
The first stop on our Lima city tour is Huaca Pucllana, a huge archaeological site in Miraflores, one of Lima’s most popular districts. Huaca Pucllana was an important ceremonial and administrative centre of the Lima culture, which developed along this part of the Peruvian coast between 200 AD and 700 AD. This sacred place was built from seven staggered platforms surrounded by a plaza and large walls. It’s a very impressive site, and certainly not what you expect to find in lively Miraflores! After exploring Huaca Pucllana with your bilingual guide, we’ll drive to the historic centre of Lima, all of which is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. We’ll go to the beautiful Plaza de Armas (Lima’s main square) which is surrounded by impressive colonial and Republican-era buildings, many of which have ornate wooden balconies. Some of Peru’s most important buildings surround the square, including the Government Palace, the Cathedral of Lima, the Archbishop's Palace of Lima, the Municipal Palace and the Palace of the Union. We’ll visit the Cathedral of Lima, which was completed in 1649. It’s a huge structure, with a large central nave and 14 side chapels. Inside, we’ll see the sculptures and paintings that decorate the interior. The cathedral is also home to the tomb of the conquistador Francisco Pizarro. Next, we’ll walk one block to the Convent of Santo Domingo. Founded in the 1530s and completed in 1766, it is one of the most important religious buildings in Peru, and its large bell tower is a landmark in the historic center of Lima. As we walk around the interior of the convent, we’ll see the beautiful Sevillian azulejos (ceramic tiles) that decorate the walls, dating from 1604 and 1606. There is also a series of paintings that present passages of the life of Saint Dominic, the founder of the Dominican order, which date to around 1608. At the end of the tour, we will return to your hotel. Overnight at Jose Antoni Lima Hotel in Standard Room

Day 3: Welcome to the Sacred Valley
A driver will pick you up from the hotel and take you to the airport where you will take your flight to Cusco! After your arrival to Cusco, your guide will be waiting for you and take you to the sacred valley, in your way to the Sacred Valley, we’ll do a short stop in Chincero. One of those small and scenic towns lost in the Peruvian Andes. There, some 50 families live out of agriculture and textiles. The women do the weaving and the men are in charge of the farm.  Drive through the rugged mountainous region with its magnificent panoramas, along roads with farms and small villages to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Here, enjoy an authentic Peruvian demonstration of the ancient Andean tradition of making textiles from naturally dyed handwoven alpaca wool. Remarkably, the source for the vibrant colours is dyes that come from plants, minerals, and insects. Wander around the complex and shop for souvenirs among the fine textiles and other local treasures. You will have an opportunity to interact with the locals, you will have the opportunity as well to bargain the prices of the handicrafts so that way you incorporate them into the community people. Overnight at Sonesta Posadas del Inca Yucay in Standard Room

Day 4: Full-Day Sacred Valley
We’ll pick you up from your hotel in Urubamba at 09h00 and then set off towards the sacred Urubamba River and the pretty village of Pisac. In Pisac, we will visit the colourful traditional market, where you can browse the array of local artisan work and other souvenirs – which of course you can buy to take home with you. We’ll spend about 30 minutes here, and then head up to the ruins of Pisac which sit atop a hill at the entrance to the valley. At the Pisac archaeological site, we’ll explore the extensive ruins and enjoy the beautiful views across the valley. You’ll be given a guided tour of the ruins, passing through various structures that once served as homes, storage rooms and temples, and you’ll see Inca altars, carvings, tunnels, caves and the famous Intihuatana, the “hitching post of the sun.” We’ll explore Pisac for about 90 minutes. Alternatively, if you’d like to spend more time in the market in Pisac instead of seeing the ruins, you can talk to your guide and arrange a time and a place to meet when the tour group returns through the market after the ruins. We’ll now head on towards Urubamba, where we’ll stop for about 45 minutes for lunch (not included). After another 30-minute drive, we’ll reach the wonderful Inca town and archaeological site of Ollantaytambo. Ollantaytambo was the royal estate of the Inca emperor Pachacuti, who conquered the region and built the town and a ceremonial centre. We’ll spend about an hour exploring these magnificent ruins, visiting the amazing Temple of the Sun and seeing massive blocks of rock that were perfectly carved and polished by master Inca stonemasons. Ollantaytambo is also a fine example of Inca agricultural construction and hydro-engineering, with a complex series of stone water fountains, channels and agricultural terraces, the latter organized by elevation to create different microclimates for crop experimentation. We’ll see the extent of the water system when we return to the town, where fast-flowing water channels built by the Incas are still in use today. Walking to the town square, we’ll have great views of the ruins above us, as well as Inca granaries and storehouses built on the sides of the surrounding mountains. Here we can also watch the daily life of Ollantaytambo, where many of the locals still wear traditional dress. After Ollantaytambo, we’ll drive to Chinchero where we’ll spend about 30 minutes visiting the famous church and the massive Inca stone wall in the main plaza, which has ten trapezoidal niches. The colonial church, meanwhile, dates back to the early 17th century and was built upon the foundations of an Inca temple or palace. The walls of the church are covered in wonderful floral and religious designs. The people of Chinchero are very much connected to the old traditions, and many still dress in colourful clothes that combine indigenous and Spanish influences. We’ll also have wonderful views from Chinchero, as the village is surrounded by the beautiful snow-capped peaks of Chicón and Veronica. This is the last destination on our Sacred Valley tour, so now it will be time to head back to Urubamba, where we’ll drop you off at your hotel. Overnight at Sonesta Posadas del Inca Yucay in Standard Room

Day 5: Half day Maras & Moray
Arriving at Moray, your guide will show you around the three amphitheatre-like terraced structures. These terraces, which are carved in a circular series to create a bowl shape, are believed to have been used as a testing ground for various crops, to find the most optimal growing conditions. It’s an incredible sight, and gives real insight into the genius of the Inca Empire. After exploring Moray we’ll head on to Maras, which is just two miles away. Here we’ll see the amazing salt evaporation ponds, which were used by the Incas and quite possibly by pre-Inca civilizations. More than 3,000 salt pools are carved into the mountainside, which catch highly salty water as it emerges from a spring in the mountain. The ponds catch this water, where it slowly evaporates, leaving just the salt behind. This is collected via a communal process and is most famously used to make sal de Maras, the famous pink table salt. It’s an incredible sight looking down across the salt ponds, which look like they are covered in snow or ice. This will be our last destination on our tour, so now it will be time to head to the train station for your train to Aguas Calientes. It's an early start the next day, so we'll make sure you're settled in your hotel and all set for the next day and your first visit to Machu Picchu. Overnight at Hatun Inti Boutique Machupicchu in Superior Room

Day 6: Machu Picchu on its Glory!
We’ll wake up early in the morning so we can get to the citadel in good time. You’ll have time for breakfast first, and then your guide will pick you up from the hotel at around 5:40 a.m. Then we will walk to the starting point of the bus, a trip of approximately 45 minutes in the direction of the citadel of Machu Picchu. We’ll then pass through the gates to the Machu Picchu archaeological site. Here you’ll begin your guided walking tour with an experienced and highly knowledgeable guide. Our tour of Machu Picchu will last about two hours and will take you to all the most famous and most spectacular parts of the extensive archaeological complex. These include the House of the Guardian, Intihuatana, Temple of the Sun, Sacred Plaza and other key locations. (It will depend on the circuit that the Ministry of Culture determines) And as we walk around, we’ll have spectacular views across the agricultural terraces of Machu Picchu and across to the surrounding mountains and plunging gorges. Once we’ve finished our tour of Machu Picchu, we’ll take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes where you can relax and have lunch (not included) before we board the train back to Poroy and Cusco. Upon arrival at the station, our staff will be waiting for you to take you back to your hotel in Cusco, a quick trip of approximately 25 minutes, where you will be able to remember your incredible tour of one of the most famous and impressive attractions in the world. Overnight at Hotel Costa Del Sol Wyndham Cusco in Standard Room

Day 7: Cusco City Tour
Our Cusco city tour begins in the morning when we’ll first head to the wonderful Koricancha, next door to Santo Domingo Church. According to the chroniclers who wrote during the period directly after the Spanish Conquest, the Koricancha was the most sacred and most important temple in the Inca Empire. Its walls were covered with gold, and life-size statues of plants and animals – all made of pure gold and silver – decorated its rooms and hallways. Sadly, this wealth was stripped out by the Spanish conquistadors. It remains a magnificent temple, however, and your guide will take you around the Koricancha, showing you details that you almost certainly miss if you visit without a guide. After visiting the Koricancha, we’ll head to Cusco Cathedral, located on the Plaza de Armas. Built between 1560 and 1654 on top of the foundations of an existing Inca temple, this spectacular cathedral houses many works of art by the Cusco School of painters, and its main altar and pulpit are covered in gold and silver relief work. Look carefully and you’ll also see elements of indigenous religious symbolism incorporated into the church by the native people who worked on its construction, such as the carved head of a jaguar on the doors. Our next stop is the imposing Inca fortress of Sacsayhuaman, which sits on a hill above Cusco. Here you will see some of the finest examples of Inca stonework and construction, including massive rocks that were carefully cut and perfectly fitted together to form the walls. From here you’ll also have beautiful panoramic views of Cusco. After exploring Sacsayhuaman we’ll head up the hill to the Tambomachay Archeological Complex. The exact purpose of this site is unknown, but it may have functioned, at least in part, as an Inca spa. Inca hydro-engineering is apparent here, with a series of aqueducts, canals and waterfalls running through the terraced rocks. Tambomachay is the last attraction on our city tour, after which we’ll head back down into Cusco and drop you off at your hotel. At 19h00 - Folklore Show and Dinner, Head to the Tunupa restaurant, located just the central Plaza de Armas of Cusco (3 minutes walking from the Hotel), and get ready for a fabulous buffet dinner. There is a large selection of typical dishes, meat, fish, vegetables, and desserts they are amazing and delicious dishes. The night is more enjoyable when the traditional dance show begins and you can get involved with folk, traditional, and classical music, and sweeten your ears with the Andean instruments: Quena, charango, flute, and zampoña. If you wish, you can also share the dance floor with the dancers and get a great experience. Overnight at Hotel Costa Del Sol Wyndham Cusco in Standard Room

 Day 8: Cusco to Puno
After breakfast, you'll be picked up from your hotel at 06h30 and dropped off at the bus station to take a bus trip, more like a tour - a guide will be on board, and you'll stop at four exciting sites:
•  Andahuaylillas: The Sistine Chapel of South America. This church is one of the most beautiful examples of Andean popular religious art.
•   Raqchi (Wiracocha God Temple): This was an Inca church of considerable dimensions; 328 feet long, 85 feet wide and 45 feet high. The temple is divided into two naves, and each nave has 11 large columns.
•   La Raya: This is the halfway point between Cusco and Puno and also the highest point (14,222 feet above sea level). The landscapes here are stunning and typical Andean animals like the llama, alpaca and vicuña are familiar sights. It is also the geographic border between two cultures - Quechua and Aymara.
•    Pukara: This is the most important and oldest ceremonial centre of the altiplano. There are new light sculptures and tombs. Arrival time to Puno will be around 5 pm.
Overnight at Jose Antonio Puno in Standard Room

Day 9: Taquile& Uros Floating Islands
Our full-day trip begins at around 07h00 when we pick you up from your hotel in Puno. We’ll then head down to the port and board our comfortable motor launch to ride out to the island of Taquile. Taquile is one of the most beautiful islands in Peru, where the traditional way of life is still very much alive. We’ll meet some of the master weavers of this ancient Andean community, whose textiles are considered among the best in the country. According to legend, the Incas themselves learned how to weave from the artisans of this island. On Taquile, the men are the weavers, and the women spin the yarn. After seeing the weavers and exploring the beautiful island, we’ll head down to the small port on Taquile at around midday and head by boat towards the Chucuito Peninsula. This is in the Aymara region of Lake Titicaca and it represents the communal identity of the Peruvian-Bolivian altiplano. We’ll visit the small and rarely visited rural community of Luquina, where we’ll enjoy a wonderful buffet lunch at the local fisherman’s house. Later in the afternoon, as we begin heading back towards Puno, we’ll visit the amazing Floating Islands of the Uros people. When we arrive at the floating islands, you’ll probably be amazed by the scale of these floating reed constructions. The Uros originally built these islands for defensive reasons: if a threat appeared, they could move their island homes to a safer location. The islands are made from the totora reeds that grow around the lake, and each island is in a constant state of reconstruction, as old reeds are preplaced by new. Stepping onto the islands is quite an experience, as the springy reed floor feels strange beneath your feet. We’ll explore the main island, and see the houses, watchtowers and other structures, all built of reeds. One of the locals will then give a brief presentation about how the islands are made, and then you can meet one of the local families to see how they live. After visiting the Uros islands, we’ll head back to Puno, where we’ll take you to your hotel. Overnight at Jose Antonio Puno in Standard Room

Day 10: Puno to Lima
After Breakfast, transfer Hotel to Juliaca Airport for your flight to Lima.